Chapter 122: Realization

‘I’m late!’

The office worker jumped out of bed in a panic.

The problem was staying up too late last night watching a supercar test drive on WTube.

Even though the total sleep time was shorter than usual, thanks to the Pillow Slime, he slept soundly.

He didn’t feel that creakiness in his body that comes from lack of sleep.

However, the fact that he was late remained unchanged.

‘Pillow Slime really isn’t very flexible.’

Normally, if he’s slept enough, he wakes up easily even without an alarm.

But on days like today, when he wakes up at his usual time but hasn’t gotten enough sleep, the Pillow Slime doesn’t let go so easily.

Not setting an alarm lately because he’s been waking up easily was a mistake.

First, the office worker sat on the toilet and fired off something heavy.

Normally, he would have taken a shower after this.

Warm water clears the mind and puts you in a good mood.

But with no time, he hurriedly tossed a Gargle Slime into his mouth and wiped his body with a Towel Slime.

He slapped a Pack Slime on his face, threw on some clothes, and dashed out of the house.

His company is pretty conservative about dress code, so Raincoat Slime is forbidden.

Pack Slime was almost banned too, but it’s allowed outside the company for disease prevention purposes.

Anyway, since he takes the village bus and transfers to the subway, there’s not much walking outside, so it wasn’t a big inconvenience.

It’s not that hot yet, either.

“Ah….”

The office worker sighed.

While waiting at the bus stop, the first bus to arrive was the problem.

It wasn’t coated with Slime.

Plus, that bus stops at a station a bit away from the subway, not right in front. That means more walking.

There were still a few minutes left until the usual bus arrived.

Those few minutes felt especially precious right now.

With no choice, the office worker boarded the bus that wasn’t coated with Slime.

The moment the bus started and his body lurched, he immediately regretted it.

That regret grew stronger as time passed.

Even sitting still, his teeth chattered.

When the bus went over a speed bump-wow.

The bus seemed to ask, ‘Can you feel my beat?’ as it pounded the rhythm deep into his bones.

How long has it been since he started riding buses and subways coated with Slime?

This felt so unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

He couldn’t believe he used to ride things like this before.

All the other village bus routes that stop near his house are coated with Slime, but this one isn’t.

He looked it up, and sure enough.

The bus company was different.

‘Just how much are they pocketing….’

It’s a well-known story that the Alchemy Slime demands company stock before coating vehicles with Slime.

It’s not like they’re being forced to hand it over-the company actually buys it.

It’s probably not a lie.

Because the info was posted by ‘Eobyeou’.

There are people in the world who blindly worship anything the Alchemy Slime does.

Sometimes their fanatical posts are fun to read, but most of it is too much to take seriously.

Saying the Alchemy Slime can split into a hundred clones. What is this, a ninja show?

You can’t believe every rumor floating around the internet.

Since you can’t check every source, the best way to get accurate info is to find someone who posts trustworthy information.

The office worker managed to find someone who posts pretty reliable info.

It’s someone who uses the ID ‘Eobyeou’-they post information from an objective perspective that only an insider could know.

That person said the reason the Alchemy Slime wants stock is to check the books and get the authority to call shareholder meetings.

Riding in a car coated with Slime and then taking one that isn’t makes the difference immediately obvious.

The price is the same, but the ride comfort is so different, it’s no wonder the number of passengers is several times higher.

Of course the company will go under if they don’t get Slime coating.

But the reason they’re holding out on giving up their stock is because they can’t reveal their books.

‘A bus company like this deserves to go under.’

If he wasn’t really in a rush, he wouldn’t have gotten on.

He barely looked at his smartphone, but he was already feeling carsick.

The office worker put away his phone, leaned his head against the wall, but the vibration rattled his skull so he immediately pulled away.

‘Should I just rent a Bicycle Slime?’

Not long ago, Slime Land started renting out Bicycle Slimes.

According to reviews, it’s a bit pricey, but worth every penny.

The portability is incomparable to regular bikes.

You can compress it down to the size of a smartphone and carry it around easily.

Even if you leave it outside without a lock, there’s an anti-theft system so you don’t have to worry about it disappearing.

And even if you don’t return it, it disappears automatically when the rental period ends.

It’s not just convenient-everyone says the features are excellent.

The bike itself is so light you can keep moving forward without having to pedal hard.

It assists you going uphill and controls your speed going downhill so you don’t go too fast.

-If you fall off a building rooftop, just take out a Bicycle Slime, hop on, and put the wheels against the wall. You’ll land safely at a controlled speed.

The speed reduction is so impressive that there are even jokes like this.

‘That’s got to be a joke, right?’

Bicycle Slime puts a lot of care into safety, too.

Even if you fall over, the airbag deploys to keep the rider safe.

If you break the law, the Bicycle Slime turns red to let you know.

It’s highly praised for teaching kids to ride a bike for the first time.

And above all else.

Your butt doesn’t hurt.

Some people do wish there wasn’t a speed limit, though.

-Loosen up the speed limit! I want to feel the rush going downhill!

└Safety is mandatory.

But really, how often do you need to speed on your commute?

And scrolling down a bit more, that review turned out to be an advertisement.

└If you wish the Bicycle Slime didn’t have a speed limit, go to Slime Land. There are all kinds of bike circuits there. And you don’t even need your own bike. At Slime Land, you can rent all sorts of brands, plus Slime Bicycles with no speed limit.

└Seriously recommended. There’s Slime everywhere so you don’t have to worry about getting hurt even if you crash.

The office worker gently patted his stomach.

Since switching his snacks to Random Jelly Slime (Mild Flavor) and Popcorn Cotton Candy Slime, he’s definitely cut down on calories.

But since his meal portions stayed the same and he still wasn’t exercising, the squishiness around his belly wasn’t going anywhere.

At least it wasn’t getting worse with age, but it was still a bit disappointing.

Maybe riding a Bicycle Slime instead of taking the bus would help slim down his belly fat?

Thud.

“Ugh.”

After banging his knee on the seat in front, the office worker made up his mind.

Never again would he ride a bus that wasn’t coated with Slime.

‘I’ll rent a Bicycle Slime.’

As soon as work was over, the office worker went to Slime Land and rented a Bicycle Slime.

He tried it right away on the bike circuit inside Slime Land.

‘This is really comfortable.’

With a regular bike, just sitting on the saddle makes your butt hurt, but the Bicycle Slime was incredibly comfortable.

The pedals were so light that every push propelled him forward with ease.

He could climb uphill without much difficulty.

With any other bike, his legs would have trembled under the feeling of the earth pulling him and the bike down.

“Ah….”

While going downhill, the office worker realized the meaning of speed limit.

The speed increased slowly.

Even if he pedaled, beyond a certain speed, it wouldn’t accelerate further.

‘The sense of speed is a bit lacking.’

Still, considering it for commuting, it wasn’t a big drawback.

The office worker applied for a long-term rental of the Bicycle Slime.

Since he was already here, he looked around to see what else was available.

‘There’s a car circuit too. Huh?’

The office worker’s gaze fixed on a particular page.

There, various supercars collected from around the world were displayed.

‘I can step on the gas as much as I want?’

Unlike other amusement rides, this was treated as a car rental, requiring a fee.

Considering the price of the car, it wasn’t too expensive, but it was a burden for a hobby.

‘I have points, don’t I?’

A portion of the amount paid was returned as points.

These points couldn’t be converted to cash, but they could be used like cash in Slime Land.

He could even buy Slime with them.

‘I’m going to keep buying Slime anyway.’

The office worker made up his mind and picked a supercar.

“Wow…. Damn….”

As he moved to the dedicated circuit, the supercar was waiting for him.

It was a vehicle boasting a price so high that even leaving a fingerprint on it felt daunting.

A Dedicated Guide Slime bounced over to the office worker.

It then explained how to use the vehicle.

After reading the explanation, the office worker got into the car.

As he started the engine, a roar and vibration like a beast’s cry reverberated through him.

“This is it.”

If it had been coated with Slime, the vibration that would have been deadly was left intact for the sake of emotion.

Indeed, Yeonseul knew a man’s dream.

“Here I go.”

The office worker pressed the pedal.

“Wow….”

The car accelerated in an instant.

It felt as if the car and his body had become one.

The man pressed the pedal harder.

The engine roared even more fiercely as the speedometer climbed rapidly.

In no time, it surpassed 300 km/h.

Where else in Korea could he drive at such a speed?

Turning the steering wheel, he could change direction incredibly easily.

The man exclaimed in awe again.

The handling was remarkably tight.

It truly felt like he could control the car as if it were an extension of his own limbs.

The man left the flat terrain and entered a circuit mixed with uphill slopes and curves.

There, he enjoyed himself to the fullest until the test drive time ended.

Getting out of the car, he stretched his body.

He had thought he’d never experience something like this in his lifetime, but it felt like he had fulfilled a dream.

The man lowered his gaze to the screen on his bracelet.

There were still various supercars he hadn’t tried yet.

And that wasn’t all.

“Huh? There’s a place that teaches drifting?”

There was even a place where he could learn and experience drifting.

The office worker had a hunch that his salary would flow straight from his bank account to Slime Land.

‘It’s fine. I can buy Slime with points….’

***

With the opening of bicycle, motorcycle, and car circuits, people who craved speed started flocking to Slime Land.

Lee Doa’s Scream Course also offered a sense of speed, but it lacked freedom.

The feeling of controlling speed yourself is entirely different.

Besides bicycles, motorcycles, and cars, even more dangerous things like wingsuits could be experienced.

Enjoying extreme sports is great.

If painting a mundane daily life with thrills can bring happiness, that’s a good thing.

Still, it’s better to do it in a safe place, right?

In Slime Land, the possibility of accidents is extremely low.

Since Mother can use the Healing☆ skill, even if an accident happens, it can be healed quickly.

Originally, people who enjoyed wingsuits argued that without danger, it’s not extreme sports, and questioned how it’s different from enjoying VR.

The funny thing is, even they wear Slime, including Raincoat Slime, for safety while flying.

Some people complain about the location, but this place can offer far more diverse environments.

They can even create environments like the moon, they say.

Well, there’s no way to fully understand the way of thinking of someone whose brain is soaked in adrenaline.

Returning home from Slime Land, he turned on his computer.

It’s time to forget about Slime Land for a while and focus on personal stuff.

Today is the day to hang out with the mysterious friend, Makina.

[Me: Hello, hello.]

[Makina: Hi.]

After exchanging casual greetings, they chatted for a bit.

[Makina: Today, this.

Me: You want to play this game again?]

The game Makina suggested was the amusement park management game they had played before.

The same game where Makina had created an inescapable amusement park.

[Makina: Yeah.]

Well, if Makina wants to, then fine.

He started the game.

He hadn’t noticed it before, but the game couldn’t keep up with reality.

The Slime Land he created was far more enjoyable.

Compared to Slime Land, it had many limits, but he made it as fun a place as possible.

Then, they showed each other the amusement parks they had created.

[Me: Is this really something you made this time?

Makina: Yeah.]

Makina showed him the exact same amusement park she had shown before.

Does this mean this structure is the optimal one with no room for improvement?

That can’t be.

That would be the same as saying she’s already finished with this game.

If it were a game he had suggested, he could have taken it as a kind of protest.

But this game was Makina’s idea.

There’s no way Makina would suggest playing a game she’s essentially already finished.

It doesn’t make sense that there’s no other game worth playing.

New games come out every day in this world.

In other words, this means Makina has something she wants to say to me.

It probably means there’s something wrong with my condition.

When I start acting strange, it’s usually because of a curse.

What exactly is the problem?

If it’s the Curse of Arrogance, I’m handling it pretty well.

I’m listening carefully to what others have to say.

Most of the things I’m working on now came from ideas discussed in meetings.

When Hans or the rest of our Four Heavenly Kings propose something, I don’t ignore it.

Everything has been deemed acceptable by Hans.

In fact, the reactions to everything have been pretty good.

Yet, if there’s still a problem, it means I’m dealing with an issue that can’t be resolved just by listening to others.

Is there a better way to fight the Curse of Arrogance than simply listening?

….

Is the enemy I’m fighting right now really the Curse of Arrogance?

It’s not Arrogance.

Looking at my current state, it’s not anger either.

The opponent sometimes throws curveballs. Since the Seven Deadly Sins are just a frame I’ve imposed, nothing is certain.

I used the Barrier☆ skill directed inward.

The strange feeling of missing the mark disappeared, and it felt like I hit the target properly.

‘Caught me. What a shame.’

Crazy. I can clearly hear a voice in my head.

‘See you next time~.’

I don’t want to see you!

After waiting a moment, the voice in my head definitely disappeared.

“A curse pretending to be another curse….”

When I tried to use the Barrier☆ skill against the Curse of Arrogance, which hasn’t come yet, it didn’t hit properly!

I immediately reflected on the things I’ve done recently.

“What is this….”

Contrary to my worries, the things I’ve done so far were surprisingly ordinary.